One day last spring, Trafficia Warburton brought her 8-year-old son Kayvaun to G's Barber Shop on Pleasant Street for a haircut. In the chair next to Kayvaun, Anna Maria women's basketball coach Kevin Bigelow was getting a trim.

Warburton and Bigelow had never met, but they struck up a conversation that included basketball. She found out he was AMC's coach. He discovered that she was a former star at Burncoat High and that she had played for two seasons at Quinsigamond Community College.

Warburton was interested in continuing her education and her basketball career. Bigelow was enthusiastic about giving her an opportunity to work toward her bachelor's degree and add some talent to the AmCats squad.

"Coach was very persistent," Warburton said with a smile. "What I like about him is he cares about his players on and off the court. You could feel that. When I needed help with how to do things to get the process going he was hands on helping."

Warburton, 27, enrolled at Anna Maria last fall, and, while helping the AmCats to nine wins so far, the 5-foot-8 junior guard is leading the team in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.8 rpg). She has posted eight double-doubles.

"She brings experience and she's talented," Bigelow said. "Like I told her in practice Monday, 'Shoot!' She could score every time down the floor. It helps to have someone like that."

Warburton, who is majoring in social work, achieved a 3.2 GPA first semester. This semester, she is balancing basketball, six classes, two part-time jobs and, most importantly, motherhood.

She is doing it with determination and dedication.

"It's a challenge," Warburton said, "but my son motivates me. We definitely don't want him to be part of the statistics — young mom, single mother. I'm definitely trying to get him a better life and you can do it no matter the obstacles."

Warburton, who was a T&G Division 1 all-star during her playing days at Burncoat, took about five years off from school after Kayvaun was born. She worked and moved to North Carolina for a time, but decided to settle in Worcester. When Kayvaun was school-age, she enrolled at Quinsigamond.

Kayvaun is now a third-grader at Vernon Hill School and quite a good student and basketball player himself. Warburton and Kayvaun live with her mom. Kayvaun goes to the Boys & Girls Club after school and on nights like Tuesday, when Anna Maria played at Mount Ida, is with his grandmother when she gets home from work.

Kayvaun comes to most of Anna Maria's home games and to some practices.

"He loves it," Warburton said.

Spending so much time apart from Kayvaun — and missing his games — has been difficult for Warburton.

"The first day I started school here and realized the time demand, I thought, 'Oh my goodness. I'm going to be away from him so much,' " Warburton said. "I've had a couple talks with him. At his last teacher-parent meeting his teacher pointed out just seeing me go to school that education doesn't stop — you keep going. He understands, but sometimes he gets bothered. I make sure I talk to him."

Warburton said Bigelow, who is in his second season at his alma mater, has been a big part of her support system.

"I'm motivated," she said, "but I do have my downs. I get overwhelmed, but Coach is always right there, (saying), 'You gotta go.' I really appreciate my coach."

"Sometimes I'm too matter-of-fact — I'm like, 'Hey, this is the deal. What's your other option?' " Bigelow said. "I hope I'm sympathetic enough that it comes across that way, but I want to see her succeed. That's the bottom line for me."

Warburton is one of two transfers and nine new players on the AMC team this year. The AmCats are working toward what they hope is their first winning season since 2000-01.

"It's definitely been a growing experience," Warburton said. "It's different junior college to college. There are still things I need to learn. 'Another day to get better,' as Coach always says."

Kruczek remembered as a pioneer

When Fitchburg State hired Betty Kruczek as its athletics director in 1978, she was one of only five female ADs in the country.

Kruczek served as Fitchburg State's AD for 18 years and helped pave the way for other women in the area like Rita Castagna (Assumption), Linda Moulton (Clark), Sue Chapman (Worcester State), Charlyn Robert (Nichols), Dana Harmon (WPI) and Sue Lauder, Kruczek's successor, to fill the same position at their schools.

"She was the pioneer," Lauder said. "She had a lot to do with getting women involved just by her example. It opened the door for me, certainly, and we've been fortunate in Central Mass. to have as many female athletic directors as we've had over the years. She set the culture that it was acceptable that we could do the job."

Kruczek passed away last week at her home in Auburn. She was 81.

Kruczek was the first woman to serve on the NCAA Division 3 Steering Committee and the first female officer of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), serving as secretary from 1989-94.

Kruczek garnered numerous awards during her career, including NACDA's Corbett Memorial Award for her devotion to the betterment of intercollegiate athletics, and the ECAC's Katherine Ley Award, as a model for women coaches and administrators.

In recognition of Kruczek's perseverance, FSU annually presents the Betty Kruczek Award to a deserving student-athlete.

"She did a great job with everything and keeping Fitchburg's name out there," Lauder said. "And she continued to give women opportunities."

Under Kruczek's direction, Fitchburg State added women's soccer to its varsity sports program in 1994.

In July 1996, the month before she would become Fitchburg State's new AD, Lauder, who is now in her 17th year at FSU, spent some valuable time with Kruczek.

"We sat at her dining room table and she had boxes and bins and all sorts of stuff," Lauder said. "She went through everything with me. She did a great job orienting me. She wasn't telling me what to do, but it was so helpful to know what I was getting into."

Game creates buzz

Not surprisingly, last week's announcement of the revival of the Holy Cross-Boston College football rivalry has many HC alumni circles excited.

The first of two scheduled games between the schools won't be played until Sept. 8, 2018, but Dr. Joseph Ciccone (HC Class of 1997) already has a BEATBC.com web site up and running.

Bumper stickers, t-shirts and hats, emblazoned with "Beat BC" can be purchased on the site.

HC and BC last played in football in 1986. The teams will also meet on Sept. 5, 2020. Both games are at BC's Alumni Stadium.

Changing of guard at WPI

Brian Kelley, who served as co-head coach of the WPI men's soccer team this past season, will assume the head coaching responsibilities while Malcolm MacPherson, who led the Engineers the last 22 years, will remain with the program as an assistant coach.

"Brian and Malcolm have been outstanding in their leadership of our men's soccer program the past few years," WPI director of athletics Dana Harmon said, "and I am appreciative of their working so well together to help make this smooth transition in responsibilities."

Kelley just completed his fifth year on the WPI coaching staff and helped guide the Engineers to an 11-5-1 mark in 2013.

"I am honored to continue the great tradition of WPI men's soccer and the legacy of Coach MacPherson," said Kelley, who is also the owner and president of East Coast Soccer. "I am also excited about the future of the WPI men's soccer program."

MacPherson, who recorded his 300th career coaching victory last season, went 198-146-19 at WPI and led the 1992 Engineers team to the NCAA Tournament. MacPherson also coached for nine years at Fitchburg State.

"After 31 years of coaching collegiate soccer, it's the perfect time to step back and allow someone else to lead the charge," MacPherson said. "I am thrilled that Brian will be assuming the position as he has proved in our five years together to be an outstanding coach, teacher and leader."

Contact Jennifer Toland at jtoland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTandG.

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